From teachers of municipal schools who made a difference in the lives of the students to teachers of private schools who initiated environmental activities in their institutions, 18 teachers were presented the zone-level India Education Awards here on Tuesday.
The awards, instituted by the Education Quality Foundation of India (EQFI), were given to teachers in southern region who came up with strategies to improve the quality of education in their schools. The teachers were from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Distributing the awards, M.Kutralingam, Principal Secretary, School Education, said the State government has been giving a thrust in the area of primary education. It is providing additional infrastructural facilities for a better learning environment. Government schools in the State have been doing consistently well, if the increasing pass percentage is any pointer, he said.
Activity-based learning and Active learning methodology were introduced at primary and middle schools to strengthen the learning capabilities of students and encourage self-learning. Nearly 10,000 applications were received for the awards from across the country. The awardees were categorised as primary, middle, senior school teachers, new entrants, school leaders and non-governmental organisations working in the field of education. Talking about its Quality School Accreditation System, EQFI Chairperson Anjlee Prakash said that schools were assessed based on their statutory compliances, effective leadership and so on.
“We will hold talks with the State government to accredit the government schools to enhance the quality of education. We have been working closely with the policymakers and lobbying the government to work on all parameters for a holistic development in school education,” Ms. Prakash said.